The best filter

[Tanya farrell]

hello I have a 20l tank what is the best filter
Aquaflow 1 or
Hailea hl bt-200

Thank you

 

[AbbeysDad]

Uhm....neither. I wouldn't do an internal. Have you considered Aquaclear or Seachem's new Tidal?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CK83LAK/?tag=ff0d01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6Z59E9/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Tanya farrell]

Thank you

 

[Essjay]

Do you mean a 20 litre tank or a 20 gallon long tank?

 

[Tanya farrell]

Liter

 

[Essjay]

In that case the two filters that AbbeysDad linked to would be overkill - they are rated for 50 and 55 gallons.

Are you in the UK since you use litres rather than gallons? If you are, I have a filter that is fine for this size tank. It is a Maidenhead Aquatics own brand https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/product/aqua-range-aqua-internal-50-filter The flow can be adjusted if it is too strong on full. The media is a sponge with a hollow in the middle filled with carbon. I emptied the carbon out and replaced it with more sponge. The only slight problem with this filter is that it a bit on the flimsy side so be careful when clipping it back together after cleaning (I broke a corner off the bit that holds the media)

Or use a sponge filter powered by an air pump.

 

[Tanya farrell]

Yes I'm in the uk , I don't get how it would work with the kids on I go the Maiden head all the time , why did you get rid of the carbon ? I'm coming up there tomorrow

 

[Tanya farrell]

Lid not kids

 

[Essjay]

Carbon is not needed on a full time basis, it is better to just keep some in the cupboard for if you do ever need it to remove medication after treatment has finished, and put something better in its place. With this filter the carbon fits inside a hollow in the sponge so I just filled that with a piece cut off another sponge.

Ignore what the instructions say about changing the filter. Sponges last for years, they just want you to spend money. Besides, if you did change the media you'd throw away all the bacteria leaving you starting a new cycle every time you changed it. All you have to do with sponges is squeeze them out in water that you have removed during a water change.

And please don't be tempted with those Crystal Clear cartridges they go on about. Sponges alone are more than adequate for a filter.
I don't like the idea of using zeolite in a filter

 

[Essjay]

Yes I'm in the uk , I don't get how it would work with the lids on

Sorry, what exactly do you mean?

The filter sticks to the glass with suckers and the cable goes out through the lid in the same way as the two filters you mentioned in your first post.

 

[Tanya farrell]

O

Sorry, what exactly do you mean?

The filter sticks to the glass with suckers and the cable goes out through the lid in the same way as the two filters you mentioned in your first post.

k thank you

 

[Tanya farrell]

I'm going up to Maiden head this week so I will have a look

 

[AbbeysDad]

Yes, I'm sorry - I assumed a 20g long. The filters I suggested would be overkill for a 5.2g tank. Still, I would prolly not use an internal in a small tank. The air driven sponge filter is likely the best OR a smaller version of the filters I suggested.

 

[Essjay]

I used to have the Maidenhead Aquatics filter in my betta's tank but he liked to sleep on it and it continually fell off the glass. I started to wonder if he bounced up and down on it, with it falling off so often
So I replaced it with a sponge filter powered by an air pump, and I agree with AbbeysDad that these are very good filters for small tanks.

(I did fishless cycle the sponge filter in my quarantine tank before swapping the filters since I couldn't work out a way to use the media from the internal)